ValiRx plc announced signature of an over-arching agreement with University of Dundee and their Drug Discovery Unit (DDU) to access research relating to novel therapeutic candidates. The first evaluation agreement under this agreement has also been signed ("Evaluation Agreement"). The over-arching agreement is scheduled to be active for a period of five years, during which time, the Company will have the opportunity to review research projects from the DDU in areas aligned with the strategy of ValiRx with a view to initiating additional evaluation projects on pre-defined terms. The first Evaluation Agreement under the framework focuses on investigating a lead series of therapeutic candidates in the increasingly important research area of pro-senescence (selectively promoting ageing of cancer cells to cease growth in tumours).

This exciting area of research has potential to be effective in treating of multiple cancer types, and also many other disease areas, including those associated with healthy aging. This work builds upon previous ground-breaking research by Dundee and Barts Charity funded research by Prof Cleo Bishop, Professor of Senescence and Director of the Queen Mary University London Phenotypic Screening Facility. The evaluation process for this project is expected to take approximately 12 months, with the lead series scrutinised for mechanism of action and anti-cancer activity in the Inaphaea BioLabs facility, and will draw upon the skills of external collaborators.

At the conclusion of the evaluation, if the target activity is met, the project will be considered for in-licensing on pre-agreed terms.